


Fill in the Blanks

by honestgrins



Series: To Rely on the Kindness of Strangers [44]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Day Seven - Tropes, F/M, klarolineauweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-02 23:19:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6587143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Klaus loses his memory of Caroline</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fill in the Blanks

"I'm Caroline Forbes, he'll know me."

Talk about hubris. For a girl who couldn't even keep her actual boyfriends around, she had a lot of nerve thinking the Original Hybrid was actually genuine when he made all those promises to her.

Now, she was stuck in a magic-free bar, hoping it would be enough to protect herself and her daughters. She would have never come to New Orleans if she knew Klaus wouldn't be there to protect them. He didn't even let her know he would be leaving the city. How did he expect her to show up on his doorstep in a year or a century if she couldn't even get a zip code?

"Mommy, where's your friend?"

Glancing down to Lizzie's curious face, Caroline tried to smile reassuringly. They couldn't stay in the bar indefinitely; people would totally notice small children in the room. Realizing she needed to come up with a new plan, she called out to the waitress. "Can you tell me Klaus's old address?"

* * *

Despite Alaric's human-only household rules, Caroline had often encouraged the girls to enjoy their magic when it manifested. She called Bonnie all the time with updates, and her friend usually sounded happier getting to help teach the twins about their powers. Caroline couldn't wait for the day Bonnie actually got to meet them, but with the Armory's threat, her best friend wouldn't even consider Caroline's offer to visit.

With Bonnie in danger, it was times like that Caroline wished she had come to Dallas with them in the first place. One of the last things she was able to teach the girls over Skype, though, was a locator spell. As much as it made Caroline cringe to use her daughters' powers, they really needed to find Klaus.

Caroline rolled her eyes when they arrived at the given address, because _of_ _course_ he lived in an extravagant mansion right on the Quarter. Listening carefully, Caroline couldn't hear any activity inside. She opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked.

"Hold hands, girls," she ordered, never knowing what they might find inside. "Remember your shield."

Silently, Josie held Caroline's hand, siphoning some magic from her to feed their basic shield spell as they walked into the deserted mansion. "Hello," Caroline called out.

When nothing stirred, she felt comfortable enough to lead the girls further into the house. "We're looking for an art studio," she told them, checking doors as she found them. She could identify Klaus's scent throughout the house, but it was dormant enough to back up the story of his disappearance. The studio itself, though, was drenched in the woodsy musk Caroline hadn't realized she'd missed.

Larger than any room in their Dallas house, the girls gasped at the messy studio covered with art projects. "Mommy, you never let us leave our crayons out," Josie pouted. Clearly, being a grown-up was a much better deal.

"I know," Caroline answered, unapologetic. "You'll also grow up to be well-adjusted women, so take the win." She picked through the works, recognizing his hand in all of them. She wasn't sure if anything had a strong enough connection to help find Klaus, though.

"It's Mommy," Lizzie shouted, pointing to a sketch hanging on the wall.

Caroline scoffed, though it sounded more relieved than annoyed. "That belongs to him, all right," she muttered before taking down the frame. She didn't even want to know what led him to draw this particular moment, though she certainly recognized the dress she wore to graduation. Shaking her head, she held the heavy frame for the girls to reach. "Do you think you can help me find the person who drew this?"

* * *

The locator spell fittingly led them to the old Mystic Falls cemetery. Caroline tried not to groan at what _he_ would consider the poetry of the situation, but she did take some comfort in knowing that Rayna was chasing down everyone else miles away. It took some digging, but she finally found the spelled coffin containing a very crusty, old hybrid.

She hated to ask, but she blamed Ric's Indiana Jones tendencies on the girls' excitement at being part of the adventure. "Want to siphon this spell so I can open it up, please?" Once they did, Caroline ushered them into a nearby mausoleum. The last thing she wanted to do was endanger them, and being anywhere near a desiccated Klaus was the opposite of safe. "Stay here, and yell if you're in trouble," she ordered, kissing them both on the head before leaving them with her phone. "If the alarm goes off, and I'm not back, call Daddy." An hour should be more than enough for her to wake Klaus up.

Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, Caroline made her way back to the coffin. She opened it, grimacing at the bleak gray color of Klaus's skin. Biting in her wrist, Caroline pried his lips open before placing the gash against his teeth. Her other hand moved of its own accord to stroke the hair from his forehead. "You better start drinking," she teased. "It'll be really hard to cash in on some favors if you don't have some blood in you."

A little cheer erupted in her chest when his fangs clamped down on her wrist.

He sucked hard, his eyes flying open like a madman. Caroline knew she should be afraid, given the fact a werewolf was fang deep in her arm and taking the only blood she could use to fight his venom. But it was Klaus; against all odds, she felt safe.

"Okay, that's enough," she said, easing her arm from his grasp when he looked a bit less gray. "Can you talk yet? I have blood bags in the car if you need a little more."

"I can," he croaked, sitting up slowly. He licked his lips of any stray blood. "Why- Why did you feed me blood?"

Caroline froze. "Because you were desiccated," she answered uneasily. "You needed blood to wake up. And now I need yours."

"What," he asked, eyes wide. "Why would you need my blood?"

"Your bite can kill me with werewolf venom," she explained incredulously. "You know this, Klaus, now freaking heal me!"

He just looked shell-shocked. "I'm a werewolf?"

"Oh, my god, I don't have time for this," Caroline muttered. He clearly wasn't in top form, so she just leaned down and bit into his neck. She took what she needed, wiping the spare drops as the wound healed. "Thanks," she said sheepishly.

Klaus just sat, looking confused.

"Well," she said, feeling awkward. "Since you didn't outright attack me, I guess it's safe for me to get my daughters. Do you want to come with me, or wait here?"

Scrambling out of the coffin, Klaus marveled at the natural grace of his apparently supernatural form. "I'd prefer to come with you," he said. "You said my name is Klaus?"

Nodding, Caroline measured her breathing to keep from freaking out. "You're Klaus, and I'm Caroline," she said. "We're friends, and we're going to get my daughters and find you a shower, okay?"

"Okay," he answered, watching her like she was a woman with all the answers.

She supposed she kind of was, because if Caroline had to guess, the man following her like a lost puppy had no idea he was Klaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid.

* * *

The girls were fast asleep in the hotel bed, Caroline trying to focus on their breathing to keep herself calm. She could hear the shower turn off, meaning Klaus had finished cleaning himself up.

Until Klaus was back to his usual self, Caroline felt responsible for his wellbeing. Knowing they needed to get as far from Mystic Falls as possible, she drove until she had to stop for gas. Klaus had kept an interested gaze on her the entire time while the girls happily played on their tablets in the back. When he tried to speak, though, Caroline just turned up the radio. They couldn't have the necessary conversation in front of Josie and Lizzie.

As she heard him get dressed in the bathroom, however, she knew the time had come and he needed answers. Honestly, so did she.

When the door opened, she gulped at the sight of him. His curls were more prominent in their dampness, and the t-shirt she had bought for him in the gift shop downstairs was stuck to his wet skin. He must have noticed her staring, since he smiled shyly.

Coughing, Caroline stood and moved to the table she had set. "I ordered room service," she explained, opening the food trays. "Food tends to make things easier."

Sitting in the designated seat, Klaus dug right into the steak dinner she ordered. "Okay," she said, relieved. "You seem able to function without me needing to teach you things, so that's good. You just forgot who you are and that you're a hybrid."

"You said I was a werewolf," Klaus said, spearing a carrot into his mouth.

"Werewolf and vampire," Caroline explained. "I'm just a vampire, which is why I needed your blood to heal your bite. Werewolf venom is toxic to vampires."

"Why take the risk," he asked, genuinely curious. "Who are you to me?"

Caroline hesitated; she had yet to come up with a good answer to that. "I'm a friend," she decided. "The girls and I needed somewhere to hide, and I came straight to you. But you weren't where I expected you to be."

Klaus cocked his head, silently asking the obvious question.

"New Orleans," she clarified. "I was always supposed to visit you, but you were gone before I could arrive."

"And your daughters?"

"Josie and Lizzie," Caroline answered with a smile. "It's a long story, but they're witches. They helped me find you."

Smiling guilelessly, Klaus looked over to the sleeping girls. "I should remember to thank them," he said, glancing back to Caroline. "And thank you, for waking me."

"It was selfish, I promise," she answered in chagrin. "I needed your help."

"But I can't give it to you," he pointed out, reaching across the table to raise her chin. "Yet, you're still helping me."

Caroline chuckled humorlessly. "It's what we do," she said, shrugging. "We always seem to be there when we need each other the most."

Sighing, Klaus leaned forward. "Caroline," he said earnestly. "Who are you to me?"

"You promised to be my last love," she answered in a wistful voice. "I'm not sure if that still stands. A lot has changed since then."

"Someone as strong and beautiful as you," Klaus said, reaching for her hand. "I can't imagine anything to sway me from that promise, sweetheart."

Caroline jumped at the pet name. "You called me sweetheart," she said, even as he held more tightly to her hand.

"Yes," he said, though it sounded more like a question. "Did I do something wrong?"

"It could be a sign that you're coming back to yourself," she said, cheerful for the first time all day. "But what triggered it?'

"I'm not sure," Klaus admitted. He had a feeling it had more to do with the blonde in front of him than anything else, but he didn't think she would appreciate that answer. Dim echoes of eye rolling came to mind.

Biting her lip, Caroline looked over to the girls. "We should sleep, too," she sighed, though she wanted to keep poking at his memories. "You can take the other bed, I'll bunk with the girls."

"No," Klaus said, uneasy. "I don't think I could sleep. Please, take the bed, and I'll keep watch."

It took a moment, but Caroline eventually nodded. She was exhausted, and she couldn't blame Klaus for being afraid to close his eyes. She'd probably feel the same way if she were desiccated for three years. "Good night, Klaus," she whispered, moving to shut off the light.

"Good night, Caroline."

* * *

She was chained to the anchor's desk, terrified as she read the statement prepared for Rayna's message. The stake had been removed, but Caroline could feel the blood drying on her face. Her struggle to get free wasn't subtle in the least, but the vervain hissed against her skin until suddenly, she was back in high school and tied to a desk.

Alaric approached, dangerous and clearly a threat when he stabbed her hand with a pencil. He went to stab the other, but a gunshot rang out. Looking around, Caroline realized she was back in the werewolf trailer. She crawled to the far corner of the cage, but Brady still aimed the gun straight at her head.

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut, ready for the pain. She jumped when she felt a warm hand on her waist instead, opening her eyes wide to find Klaus smiling warmly in a gorgeous tuxedo.

They were back in Mystic Falls for Esther's ball, dancing to Ed Sheeran. Caroline looked down, remembering the gorgeous dress he had given her. Klaus squeezed her hand to twirl her, and she abruptly landed in his chest.

"What are we doing here," she asked, frantically looking around. "How-"

"You were having a nightmare, sweetheart," he answered, keeping a firm grip on her waist. "I thought a more pleasant memory would be better."

"But-"

"Wake up, Caroline."

* * *

Caroline jolted awake and away from the firm body spooning her from behind. Josie and Lizzie were still asleep, so Caroline tried to keep her yelling to a whisper. She turned to face the smug, but concerned hybrid. "You remember?"

"It appears waking from desiccation takes some adjustment," he said, shrugging. "A few hours of rest seemed to do the trick. I'm more worried about your nightmares."

Scoffing, Caroline shook her head. "My life is a nightmare. The girls and I are on the run from Rayna Cruz, and I thought you would be able to help us," she said.

"I will," he answered, iron in his tone. He reached for her cheek, much too intimate a gesture while lying together in bed. "I'm glad you came for me."

"I'm glad you're back," she admitted in a whisper. "But I'm still engaged."

Growling softly, Klaus noted the ring on her finger. "The girls are lovely," he said, "but dual-household families are more common than you'd think, sweetheart."

Caroline stiffened. "Where is yours," she asked.

"I'm afraid they're the ones who put me in that coffin," he answered. "I'll need to find Hayley and Hope, to make sure my daughter is safe."

She understood. It's why she drove all over the country looking for him in the first place. Biting her lip, she leaned into his hand. "Can we come with you?"

Smirking, Klaus's eyes glowed in gold. "Of course, love," he said. "Family is family, always and forever."


End file.
